Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

The first meeting is tonight in Florida City. Please come and voice your support for continued recreational use of the park including spearfishing. This is our last chance to show that spearfishing is a responsible and selective harvest method. They are painting us to be reckless and destructive, like we have caused all the fish populations to decline. All the while derelict commercial traps litter the patch reefs and they have cut back on law enforcement efforts. Their goal is to close off all access so they can reduce spending. We need to fight for more law enforcement on the water and at the ramps and targeted management like specifies specific closures during spawning and increased minimum size limits based on scientific evidence rather than park-wide closures.

Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

Quote:

Originally Posted by DirtySouth

Went to the meeting tonight in Florida City, complete dog and pony show. They broke us up into groups then each group had a representative speak on their behalf. Everyone spoke against closed zones, asked for more law enforcement etc…
Park service is going through the motions, they are going to implement one of the Alternatives, either 6 or 7, bring your vaseline folks cause they are gonna ram it to you any which way they want.
One gentleman that spoke, said he personally has statements from Both Florida Senators, and both are completely against any Alternative. And they have pleaded with the park service to not implement them.
Please go if you can but be prepared.
ED

I was at the Florida City meeting last night and can echo the feeling that the NPS was going through these meetings like it was standard operating procedure to listen the public and do what they originally planned on doing anyways. Here is what I took away from the meeting:

1. Public notice of meetings

-NPS claims they have been advertising these meetings for years through their mailing list and the newspaper. That's a BS excuse for an advertising campaign. Where were the t.v. stations? Letters in the mail? You can get my address from my boat registration or the annual county boat ramp pass. Hand out flyers at the county ramps, tackle shops, and tell our local elected officials. The mayor of Homestead did not know there was a meeting in Florida City last night.

-The approximately 100 people in attendance last night didn't even come close to representing the number of people that would be using a boat ramp like Homestead Bayfront on a typical weekend, let alone all the other county ramps combined. It was a relative no show of support because no one knew about it!

2. Lack of enforcement/Mismanagement of funding

-Earmark fines from violations right back into the park, not Washingtion D.C.
-Every group at the meeting stated that for years there was a lack of enforcement. Many people said it had been years, if ever, since they has been boarded and had their catch inspected. NPS and other agency boats regularly sit at the docked with engines out of the water on weekends. The NPS dock next the the Bayfront channel has been in despair for a long time with yellow caution tape around it.
-A NPS representative told me last night that there was a lack of funding to fix the dock, run the boats, or collect catch data at the boat ramp the way it is done at Flamingo. Tell me how then is it possible to support the "Additional Operational" Costs of $1.1-1.8 million for the proposed alternatives plus a $4.8 million "Visitor Center"? See Page 68 of the Biscayne National Park Supplemental Draft General Management Plan / Environmental Impact Statement- November 2013

3. Discrimination against spearfishing

-Unjustly labeled as a destructive practice
-In fact it is selective and often times has a lower total catch compared to rod-and-reel
-Reduced Lionfish control
-Concerns about taking undersized fish need to be addressed through education, enforcement and species-specific size limits (The main concern here is Hogfish. A 12" hogfish barely has any meat after filleting. For years, responsible spearfisherman have been calling for an increase in the minimum size).

4. Permit System/Seasonal Closures

-Alternative 6 involves a permit system issued by annual random lottery that will unfairly distribute permits and restrict free public access to the park resources. Spearfishing is prohibited. Fishing pressure would then be concentrated away from the the Special Recreation Zone (SRZ) to other nearby reefs.
-Alternative 7 creates a complete summer closure (June through September) thereby eliminating opportunities for families/children on break from school to use the park. This alternative has too broad in scope; instead closures should be applied on a species-specific basis (for example snapper spawning months, look at how snook have rebounded from these types of closures)
-All alternatives have a direct negative impact on the local economy, including gas stations, tackle shops, dive shops, boat dealers, repair shops, dive operators, charter guides, hotels, etc.

5. Suggestions

-Start by using funds wisely to:

[*=1]Increase law enforcement presence on the water and at the boat ramps
[*=1]Enforce current regulations better instead of new rules that won't be enforced either
[*=1]Add more mooring balls around patch reefs
[*=1]Increase education and data collection efforts at the boat ramps
[*=1]BNP is 95% water, spend more money on the water and not on mangrove boardwalks and $4.8 million dollar visitor centers for tourists.

​-Forget the permit system, there is no way to fairly distribute.

As stakeholders of Biscayne National Park, it is our duty to stay informed about the issues and plans of the NPS and ensure that they listen to us (the boaters, fisherman, and divers) as they work to manage the Park resources by conserving while providing public access as has been done for generations. It is our duty to ensure that the public and our elected public officials are given adequate notice of these meetings; therefore we must spread the word to our family and friends, newspapers, radio, t.v. stations, and politicians so that everyone is aware of what is going on. You can do your part by attending a meeting or submitting public comment online. Please see the links below for more information.

Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

I went to the meeting last night in FL City (Javier, I just realized I sat at your table! I was the goofy looking guy with long hair and gray tshirt.) There was an overwhelming response for the park to be policed better to include checking size and bag limits. Most everyone there favored seeing the current rules enforced and tracking that data before taking the step to put new rules/closures in place. I haven't been here long enough to know what the park used to be like in comparison to what it is now, so it was very informative for me to hear from long time residents. Regardless of where they stand, it was good to see people who are passionate about the park.

Please take the time to attend one of the next two meetings which are in Coral Gables and Key Largo respectively (Javier's link includes the schedule). Also, you have the ability to submit your comments online throughhttp://parkplanning.nps.gov/document...cumentID=61253

I suggest submitting your own thoughts as BNP is noting the difference between independent responses and form letters (They reported the number of responses in their opening presentation and noted the difference between the two. They didn't explicitly say that one is viewed differently, but the fact that they are differentiating would lead one to believe that.) Voice your opinion and let's hope that BNP continues to be a resource that we can all agree is managed well.

Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thin man

I went to the meeting last night in FL City (Javier, I just realized I sat at your table! I was the goofy looking guy with long hair and gray tshirt.) There was an overwhelming response for the park to be policed better to include checking size and bag limits. Most everyone there favored seeing the current rules enforced and tracking that data before taking the step to put new rules/closures in place. I haven't been here long enough to know what the park used to be like in comparison to what it is now, so it was very informative for me to hear from long time residents. Regardless of where they stand, it was good to see people who are passionate about the park.

Please take the time to attend one of the next two meetings which are in Coral Gables and Key Largo respectively (Javier's link includes the schedule). Also, you have the ability to submit your comments online throughhttp://parkplanning.nps.gov/document...cumentID=61253

I suggest submitting your own thoughts as BNP is noting the difference between independent responses and form letters (They reported the number of responses in their opening presentation and noted the difference between the two. They didn't explicitly say that one is viewed differently, but the fact that they are differentiating would lead one to believe that.) Voice your opinion and let's hope that BNP continues to be a resource that we can all agree is managed well.

The past meetings are good evidence that the park is not listening. Everyone already agrees that the park is MISMANAGED. Talking to the park is over, its time to get serious and attack the end run.

Looks like the autocracy approach to government is winning here at the above link:

"THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE COULD CLOSE RECREATIONAL FISHING IN BISCAYNE NATIONAL PARK

Despite strong opposition from the recreational fishing community and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the National Park Service continues to breathe life into an unacceptable plan to create a large no-fishing zone in Biscayne National Park in which you, your family and friends would no longer be able to access these public waters."

This Wikipedia definition sure seems to fit:

An autocracy is a system of government in which a supreme power is concentrated in the hands of one person, whose decisions are subject to neither external legal restraints nor regularized mechanisms of popular control (except perhaps for the implicit threat of coup d'état or mass insurrection).

Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

Spearfishing in BNP is under attack and today is the last day to submit public comment on this issue. Please write a short comment expressing your opposition to any discriminating spearfishing regulations. Letting them do this will set a precedent for other areas of the state including the Keys which is currently undergoing the same type of management plan process that wants to restrict spearing. Pretty soon we will be left with nothing.

Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

I'm a freedive anyways so the FMP doesn't bother me. The GMP does though. How will the restriction of freedive spearing help the "pristine corals"? Sorry for those of you with tanks, I've been wanting to try my hand at a nice sling for a while now. No commercial sounds like a dream to me though.

Re: What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpearMax

Looks like the autocracy approach to government is winning here at the above link:

"THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE COULD CLOSE RECREATIONAL FISHING IN BISCAYNE NATIONAL PARK

Despite strong opposition from the recreational fishing community and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the National Park Service continues to breathe life into an unacceptable plan to create a large no-fishing zone in Biscayne National Park in which you, your family and friends would no longer be able to access these public waters."

This Wikipedia definition sure seems to fit:

An autocracy is a system of government in which a supreme power is concentrated in the hands of one person, whose decisions are subject to neither external legal restraints nor regularized mechanisms of popular control (except perhaps for the implicit threat of coup d'état or mass insurrection).

Imo thats just too bad. If you look at the posted pictures on spearboard it looks as if everyone is commercial or wants to be.More and bigger seems to be the theme. I live in the lower keys and have friends who are recreational spearos and friends that are commercial. I also have friends who are recreational ,commercial,and charter hook and line. I live on a sailboat ,flyfish,fish light tackle and build guns to get food for myself . I personally dont like the idea of commercial charter operators from areas to the north of here bringing kooks down to clean off wrecks etc for large cudas and anything else that can be used in aggregate towards accumulating enough "points" towards a restricted species license. Theyre bringing them here because their local waters are "shot out". Not a sound practice environmentally,economically,or politically. Yes,theres alot of stupid people in DC and Tallahassee but theres a few that were made aware of this site and others and figured out what the mentality of the average South Fla spearo is. Im sorry to have to put it this way but its the absolute truth and. a large segment of spearfishing enthusiasts are showoffs and only interested in size and numbers. Its impractical and biting us in the ass.

the "What is up with this spearfishing closure at Biscayne National Park?" Post above has some 55,000 views.
If everyone that viewed it as well as those that view this post takes action we might have a fighting chance. There is also a link after you take action to forward it to everyone you know that might be interested in helping out. It only takes a minute to put in there e mail addresses.

This site reads like the proposed plan has been decided with the details still to be determined. Probable increasing of size limits and decrease of bag limits (no info on specific species), a possible increase in protected areas, possible elimination of mini season, and possible elimination of scuba and trigger mechs a la bahamas.

This is the latest info that I have seen. I think this is just referring to the General Management Plan but I'm sure the Fisheries Management Plan will follow rather quickly. Not sure if spearfishing is still not allowed with the plan they are going with but there are definitely a lot of changes coming.